2 min read OSINT

Tracelabs Challenge 1 Walkthrough

Tracelabs Challenge 1 Walkthrough

Hey everyone — 404 Yeti here, warming up the snow boots for another Trace Labs OSINT challenge! ❄️

Today’s task: Identify the location in a given photo.
Answer format: Site Name, State, Country

Let’s break down how to analyze, verify, and confirm — Yeti style. 🧊

Tools we will use:

  • Google Image Search — for reverse-image recognition
  • Google Maps + Street View — for photo replication and terrain validation

Image:

Step 1: Do a reverse image search.

First we should go to images.google.com and try and see if we can find any info about this image.

we can see some distinct information from the reverse image search, like the name "El Malpais National Monument"

Step 2: Use google maps to find the location

so we are seeing some information about the national monument, so let's take our little hangman and see if we can replicate the photo

Step 3: Replicate the photo

Drag the Street View pegman over the map until blue roads appear near the park entrance or viewing areas.
Once inside Street View, rotate and adjust the camera perspective until:

  • The ridge line matches the photo’s background.
  • The mountain silhouette aligns precisely.

When both line up — bingo! Confirmation achieved.

Final Answer: El Malpais National Monument, New Mexico, USA

Submit the answer

Bingo we got the right answer

Why This Challenge Matters

This exercise demonstrates a fundamental OSINT skill:
Geolocation by visual correlation.

Learning to verify photos teaches you to:

  • Authenticate social media posts and crisis images.
  • Identify false geotags or misattributed photos.
  • Cross-reference multiple sources for truth.
“Every rock, shadow, and horizon tells a story — listen before you guess.” — 404 Yeti 🐾

Final Thoughts

Trace Labs challenges sharpen your geolocation instincts. Even simple reverse searches teach you how to:

  1. Observe details others miss (cloud patterns, terrain shapes).
  2. Verify findings with context (satellite, Street View).
  3. Think like a digital detective.

That’s it for this mission, agents.
Keep your minds sharp, your maps open, and your coffee hot.

Stay curious, stay frosty — Yeti out. 🧊